Lightweight Jacob Volkmann (11-2) was picked by UFC officials to be the one to welcome 40 year old Antonio McKee (25-3-2) into the Ultimate Fighting Championship when the two meet in the octagon this Saturday on the preliminary card of UFC 125: Resolution.
In a recent interview Volkmann admits that “I had no idea who he was,” but after watching tape of the former Maximum Fighting Championship lightweight champ he’s come to this conclusion “He’s powerful” and “He’s really boring.”
“He’s got good power, but with that there is a downside that your endurance is not as good. It’s pretty obvious that he is powerful, but it doesn’t seem like he’s been pushed. He’s hardly been in any scrambles and that really wears on a guy. He’s got a good power double and that’s pretty much it…I think this first fight will be a rude awakening for him because it was for me when I got into the UFC. The intensity was so much higher than any other organization I fought for. It seemed like I needed to work twice as hard to compete with these guys. Just the way the people fight, how hard the guys fight. Try to take someone down and they’re not going to fall and pull guard. They’re going to try and defend it. If you’re fighting for a different organization some of these guys just flop down and give up easier it seems like. Guys in the UFC, they seem like they have a lot more to fight for. I have three kids; I have a lot to fight for.”
Volkmann has won his last two fights bouncing back from back-to-back losses. His last octagon appearance was at last Augusts UFC Live: Jones vs. Matyushenko event where he earned a unanimous decision over Paul Kelly at the event. Before that he earned a split decision win over Ronnys Torres at UFC Fight Night: Florian vs. Gomi and was submitted by Martin Kampmann at UFC 108.
HT: UFC.com